Garden Implement Basics for the Beginner

[Nature Girl]

Thank you so much. This sure helps give me permission to move forward. I guess the ground is forgiving and playing in the dirt is good for the soul, and the soil, even if I don't get it right the first time.

 

[TripleR]

Can't get any better advice than that given by BPFick. I like a moldboard plow, disk and harrow for larger areas because that is what I used farming, but also use a 50" counter rotating tiller for smaller areas.

Here in SE Missouri, we run a sub-soiler every two or three years to break up the clay hard pan.

If I was starting from scratch, I would probably go with a good rotary tiller, but we don't have to deal with rocks here.

 

[TripleR]

Thank you so much. This sure helps give me permission to move forward. I guess the ground is forgiving and playing in the dirt is good for the soul, and the soil, even if I don't get it right the first time.

Exactly:thumbsup:

 

[Don87]

Yeah, and that's the point, I guess.

For beginners, they shouldn't postpone an attempt at a garden just because they don't have the $1700-$2300 for a tiller.

My advice, FWIW is to buy a middle buster and cultivator, which you are going to need anyhow, first. You need them, will use them, so get them.

When the funds permit, then get the tiller.
Most folks also have an old walk behind tiller around anyway, in my experience, which will get them started.

I encourage people to not let the steep price of a tiller keep them from gardening. Go to it!!! Use what you have, but get that garden in! :thumbsup:

I agree wholeheartedly. Theres nothing more rewarding than harvesting the vegetables that you planted and nurtured yourself.

 

[leonz]

I long for a big organic garden. There is about 3 acres open now for planting. I'm so excited that my Kubota L3700 with FEL (my first tractor) will be delivered in a couple of weeks. Every spare moment has been spent searching the internet for the right implements I need to cultivate the ground and get ready for a spring planting. Some of the words I have never heard before like harrow, so I am really new to this world.

Can you amazing experts please suggest the basic attachments and sizes I would need to get the job done? Missouri soil is a little rocky not rich. I am also searching for the right grapple since clearing will be hot on my list.

With appreciation,
Nature Girl

More than anything both your wallet and your soils are going to determine your purchases.

Soil testing will be in your best interest for your patch of ground and the biggest things are adding lime to bring the PH up to neutral and gypsum to break up your clay which I am sure you have plenty of.

Depending upon your time and ability to invest you may want to consider a 1 row raised bed former that will also lay black plastic down and bury the edges at the same time and this allows you to do several things after your ground is worked and brought to a near powder state when dry.

The bed will be shaped formed and the black plastic layed down and buried in one pass and you will have a full season weed barrier.


Adding gravel bank mason sand to the soil will aid in drainage and root growth especially if raised beds are used.

You can also make narrow raised beds and not use plastic weed barrier with the bed former.

Your tractor has enough power to build tall raised beds and it will aid in seed germination as well and the seed crop will overtake the weeds in the grpwth spurt and you will have few if any weeds to deal with when walking through the beds.

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Your tillage method will rule all as far as your soils condition and will determine how well your market garden will grow.


What you have to understand is that any ground that is tilled and retilled and retilled will have a layer of hardpan below the tillage depth that you use.

If the hardpan is not broken the soil above it will not allow soil amendments like lime and gypsum and man made fertiliser to penetrate below the hardpan layer.


Ideally you want a tillage method that will break through the hardpan every year to aid in soil aeration and to bury the crop residue.


You could purchase a good used one bottom plow and have the share replaced with a Weiss conservation tillage mini mold board plow share and break the hard pan layer below 14 inches and have excellent soil tilth using the Weiss mini moldboard plow share.

This would allow you to purchase a heavy 3 point hitch mounted disc harrow with ripper discs and break the ground further and level the seed bed in one pass.

And in this way the ground will be loose to build and form the beds in one pass if you use raised beds for plants and seedlings.

The use of raised beds will reduce any chance of drowning your plants from heavy rain fall and the beds will drain away the water.

The biggest advantage in raised beds is seed germination as the raised beds will be much warmer as they are higher and will absorm more heat quickly to aid in germination and normal growth during the growing season.

Heres a link for a supplier of raised bed equipment and other attachments.

Buckeye Tractor Co


Just curious but how far are you from Columbia, Mo. ?

 

[Don87]

Depending upon your time and ability to invest you may want to consider a 1 row raised bed former that will also lay black plastic down and bury the edges at the same time and this allows you to do several things after your ground is worked and brought to a near powder state when dry.

The bed will be shaped formed and the black plastic layed down and buried in one pass and you will have a full season weed barrier.

That's something I've wanted for years, but they can get quite pricey. Love the way they work though.

 

[Nature Girl]

I have considered the raised bed idea and plowing a larger area but planting a smaller one so that I can manage it better. The images show the general area. I will be clearing the trees and brush along the creek to the right.

This space was completely covered with the invasive Autumn Olive when I bought the property and it's at the lower part of a hillside so hopefully the soil will be okay. It's great to know I must get through the hard pan to create life.

I am a couple of hours from Columbia, MO off the I-44 corridor.

 

[Agrantina]

BPFlick- great info... question about your pics... What did the garden do and whats the sentence? It looks like you put it in JAIL.. I was always told when you plant a gardern always plant enough for everyone--including the critters :licking:

AndyG

 

[Nature Girl]

Good question about the images, there is no garden...yet, but this is the space where I will be tilling the ground for my first plot. In the summer a beautiful crop of poison ivy thrives here. Yes the critters are an important part of the mix.

 

[bp fick]

BPFlick- great info... question about your pics... What did the garden do and whats the sentence? It looks like you put it in JAIL.. I was always told when you plant a gardern always plant enough for everyone--including the critters :licking:

AndyG

Hey AndyG,

Sorry, I live amidst a "doe preserve" so designated by the DNR. Lovely. All that means is we are over run and there is no hunting of antler less deer in the two sections that surround me. Something about the DNR wanting a guaranteed gene pool or something, whatever....

The deer get our flowers. They get our small trees. They get anything and everything you can imagine.

They do NOT get my gardens. Sorry. The "fencing" is mere temporary poles with poly deer netting w/ zip ties . I can erect with in a few hours and take it down in 90 minutes. It's cheap, light, and easy. Above all, it works well.